Did I waste my time? Is operator safer in this case?

[RobJ]

When you wrap an arm up in the PTO shaft you may wish you had shut the tractor down down ...
Leo

Then I guess everyone wears safety glasses, wears hearing protection, still has the guard on their table saw, still has the guard on their PTO shaft, turns off the tractor while doing anything!! behind it, or in front of it., sets the parking brake, shuts the car off when they run back inside and someone is still in the car, always lights the match first then turns on the gas D), oh and NEVER ever speeds while driving, never ever NEVER runs a yellow light. Oh everyone always uses a turn signal, even while holding a coke, burger and fries. And forget driving after just a beer or 2. Actually I just read a thread where someone mows on a hills while enjoying a beer, or 2 or 3. I'm sure absolutly no one here drives a tractor after or while having a beer or 2. Nah!! that doesn't effect your judgement or motor skills.

It's just a matter of each indiviuals comfort level. Everything I mentioned can lead to death or serious injury.

I bet on the other hand many of us don't give a second thought to working in front or behind a idling tractor. That's confort level. Everyone is different.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Rob, life is a risk. You can be killed in a storm or earthquake while sitting at home. Subconsciously, at least, we all are constantly making risk assessments. Is the benefit worth the risk? So, you're right; it's an individual decision, except for those things in which the government makes the decision for us, such as seat belts, ROPS, and many many others. As you know, there are actually human beings who try (sometimes succeed) in doing things such as climbing mountains, such as Mt. Everest. To me, that's insanity, but to them, they must have thought the benefit was worth the risk. So more power to'em as long as it doesn't cost me anything.

 

[Glowplug]

I guess it is a personal decision. Which I have mostly decided against in the past. Now I'm convinced to shut it off! It really results in no lost time. The main reason I kept it running in the past was to continue to warm the engine prior to running at high rpms. You can bet my engine will be off from now on anytime I'm near the PTO. Besides, I'm a surgeon; my hands are my livelihood!!

 

[IslandTractor]

Yep, Rob, life is a risk. You can be killed in a storm or earthquake while sitting at home.

I have zero control over Mother Nature. I can shut off my engine before tempting fate at the PTO end.

 

[brandoro]

I admit to hooking up the PTO shaft with the tractor running. Guess I will think about it more in the future after reading this thread though. Don't want to end up looking like twisty man on the PTO warning label.
When I plugged up my wood chipper, I shut off the tractor and put the key in my pocket before sticking my hand in there. That seemed like a really reasonable precaution for that job.

 

[Glowplug]

Then I guess everyone wears safety glasses, wears hearing protection, still has the guard on their table saw, still has the guard on their PTO shaft. . .

You know it!

 

[RobJ]

You know it!

Ahh but what about the other stuff. Don't bother? Don't have to answer that. Just Kidding.

But Bird is right, it's a risk assessment. But Bird used a "Mother Nature", example, I did not.

We've all seen what DUI will do, head on collision, speeding. But we still still have a beer or 2 and get into the car or tractor, or run a yellow/red light and speed.

Not saying there is anything wrong with shutting it down while hooking up a PTO, good safe practice. But do you shut it down while hooking up a 3pt implement? On my gear tractor it's probably easier for the tractor to get put into gear than have the pto engauge.

Not being the safey police either. Just interesting how we say "no way I'll do that!!" then do something else just as bad. Sort of like my oil and filter pet peeve. Nothing but the best in a $15,000 tractor that gets 100 hours a year. But the cheapest filter we can find for the $50,000 diesel truck we drive 24k a year. OK I'm gonna have a cup of cofee now!!

 

[Bird]

But Bird used a "Mother Nature", example, I did not.

Yep, but it's still a risk assessment. Instead of sitting in the kind of house we're in, we could be in concrete monolithic homes and/or below ground homes.

we still still have a beer or 2 and get into the car

I reckon I made my share of DWI arrests and I certainly would want to get intoxicated drivers off the roads, but I don't know how many people are familiar with the fact that many, if not most, drunk drivers say they've had 2 beers, which of course is not true. And a little publicized fact is that studies in the past indicated that the guy who really has had only two beers is probably the safest driver on the road; even safer than when he had nothing to drink.

 

[coffeeman]

WOW!

I never would have guessed the number of folks who would hook up to PTO while machine is running. I just had the urge to do it and then I wondered. I have never had an injury because of a moving drive line but Im sure it could be rotten. Sometime it takes a bad experience or a close call to gain respect for machinery.

One example of respect the warnings for me, is hooking up a battery to jumpers. We have all heard how we should hook up the jumpers; I believe hot first then ground somewhere not close to battery. I had one car battery blow up and I was fortunate it blew toward firewall. After 15-18 yrs I still highly respect batteries.

For those who wondered, my BH is now in it's 4th season. I am leaning toward, 'it's best to check clutch'. Maybe it's my age and realizing a little maintance can save $$$ in the long run. A few yrs ago I'd say, "Run it."

By the way I think it's always worth reminding ourselves, Ya can't put a price on safety.

Coffeeman

 

[SPYDERLK]

I know a guy that didn't shut his garden tractor down to clear the snowblower, and it worked fine for him too. Of course he can't count on his fingers anymore. Somehow vibrated out of neutral. I think you wasted your time shutting things down.

Belt driven PTO no doubt, spring loaded toward the engage position. Gear PTOs arent spring loaded. They must be actively shifted in and they just grind if you dont use the clutch. With no load you can throw them into gear w/o clutch but my shift levers must be moved out of their parked neutral position and muscled into engagement in any event. I am reserved about hydraulically engaged PTOs tho.
larry